What is the impedance angle of an inductor?

The impedance of an inductor is represented as a complex quantity in the form of (Z = j\omega L), where (j) is the imaginary unit, (\omega) is the angular frequency, and (L) is the inductance. In this representation, the impedance does not have a real component and is completely imaginary, located along the positive imaginary axis of the complex plane.

The impedance angle, also known as the phase angle, is defined as the angle between the real axis and the impedance vector. For an inductor, since the impedance consists only of the imaginary part (with a value of (j)), the angle is +90°. This indicates that the voltage across an inductor leads the current by 90 degrees, which is characteristic of inductive reactance.

This understanding is critical in AC circuit analysis, where the phase relationships between current and voltage are important for calculating power, determining resonance conditions, and understanding circuit behavior. In summary, the impedance angle of an inductor properly reflects the nature of how it interacts with AC signals, where it delays the current in relation to the voltage by a quarter cycle.